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Sierra/Beat Sheets
The Soul Spoiler= Just a tab-cover in case you really don't want to see my dirty secrets. |-| Aspirations= *Sierra intends to get to know the local Kindred scene, and discover who or what can be used to help achieve her ambitions. Sierra ultimately plans to carve out as large a territory as possible for her regnant, so that she might welcome him with pride upon his awakening from torpor. Lastly, despite her wish to gift her regnant a domain, she has a personal and selfish desire to obtain power in her own right. After all, whoever her master may be, she is ultimately ambitious and a self-proclaimed survivor. |-| Breaking Points=What is the worst thing your character has ever done? *The worst thing Sierra has ever done is consume her own Kindred biological child, when the foolish Demon was jealous of Sierra's love for her regnant and tried to kill Yama al-Malik in spite. What is the worst thing your character can imagine doing? *The worst thing Sierra can imagine doing is murdering her own beloved domitor, but she would rather not imagine such a horrific event. What is the worst thing your character can imagine someone else doing? *The worst thing Sierra can imagine someone else doing is similarly, trying to kill Yama al-Malik. What is the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to your character? *Being taken away from her husband and children by Colonel Byron Stafford, only to be used as a brood mare in a locked room, was the most traumatic thing that has ever happened to Sierra. She was simply gradually desensitized to anything worse than that. What important thing has your character forgotten? *The most important thing Sierra has forgotten, is her compassion for others. She might act the part and appear wholly warmhearted, which might even be true when it comes to her children, but much of her empathy for humanity was long eradicated by the many progressive horrors she had witnessed and been a part of throughout her long life. Beat Sheets Spoiler= Prevents accidental spoilering! |-| Universal= 'Daily (or Nightly) Life' What brings your character to Kingsmouth? How long have you been here? *Sierra has come to Kingsmouth to find refuge from the pureblooded Rakshasa in India, who aim to give her regnant final death. She chose this place in particular because her highest ranking known child is here, the Seneschal Sarah Mathis. The Resources Merit represents what money you have left at the end of the day, after you've paid your rent and bought your groceries. Characters who do not have any dots in Resources are not necessarily homeless, but they are living hand-to-mouth. From where does your income come? Do you have a job? If so, what is it you do and where do you do it? If you don't have a job, how do you get what you need for day-to-day survival? *Sierra currently has no income to speak of, but she does have a ruined boat full of exotic animals, parked and locked in the Brick and Stone Warehouses of Merceyside. She also has perhaps half a dozen set of clothes that haven't been ruined by her travel to Kingsmouth. Otherwise, she survives by living it up in the Marsh Mansion. Currently, she is also looking for a stable mortal job of some kind, especially one that will allow her access to mortal power and status. Whether or not you have a Safe Place or Haven, you have to rest somewhere. In which part of the city do you live/sleep? *Sierra sleeps in a guest bedroom at the Marsh Mansion. Describe your housing, Safe Place or Haven. What is it like? How have you personalized it and made it yours? If you don't have one, what are you doing instead? How do you feel about that? *Sierra's room is spacious and lavish, fitting for the mother of Kingsmouth's Seneschal. Her room is neatly kept, with paintings on the walls, a California King sized bed, a large closet (soon to be) brimming with clothes, and a large bathroom with a freestanding tub fit for two. The World of Darkness is a dangerous place. What precautions (if any) do you regularly take to ensure your safety? *Sierra does not take many precautions to ensure safety at the moment, since she only just arrived and the Marsh Mansion has ample security anyway. Still, when she has settled down a bit, she plans to take her two bengal tigers out of their cages and use them as her personal bodyguards. Hidden through Obfuscate and controlled through Animalism, naturally. 'First Contact' It's almost impossible to live in the World of Darkness without coming across something supernatural - though it's frequently easy to rationalize it away. Describe the first brush you had with the supernatural. What actually happened? What did you think happened? Did it change anything for you? *Sierra first encountered the supernatural when her husband, Luther Ashford, was Embraced. He gave her the Kiss, and she had trouble understanding what just happened. He fled her for a few times, before returning and begging she forget such a strange sensation. Being the demure and devoted wife she was, Sierra anxiously agreed. From then on, they slept in separate beds and Luther acted very distant towards her. He tried to hide his Kindred nature for quite a long while, excusing his pale complexion as simply training with the army in the shade, or remaining fully clothed at all times around her in case she notices his cold touch. When Luther's Sire, Colonel Byron Stafford, suggested he ghoul his wife, Luther agreed. For a time, he taught her all about what it meant to be a ghoul, and what it was like for him to be a Kindred. From that point forward, or perhaps when Luther was first Embraced, her entire life changed forever. 'The Dark Time' Every life has highs and lows. Describe your lowest point - when you were most vulnerable, when you had the most to lose, when you hit rock bottom. What happened? What did it look like on the inside, behind the mask, when you felt like you were unraveling? *Sierra's lowest point was likely her time as Colonel Byron Stafford's ghoul. She was kept locked up in a single room for three whole years. He used her to breed himself a stable of ghouls, since the circumstances of her birth were highly auspicious for the creation of a thrall family. He visited her at times, between her sessions with random men, to tell her how happy she made him. After a while and enough drinks of his vitae, Sierra began to believe it herself. Still, he stole her away from her family, who she never saw again. There were many lucid times when she tried to desperately locate a way out, even through her own death. But there was nothing in the room she could use, and someone was always stationed not too far away. Throughout it all, she felt like she was going insane. Maybe she was, maybe she did. After all, by the time she was taken by Yama al-Malik, she was no longer the same sincere and compassionate woman she was before. You can't keep all the balls in the air when everything is falling apart around you. Something - or someone - is bound to get overlooked or neglected. Who did you let down or abandon? How do you feel about that? *Sierra abandoned many of her children to the whims of Kindred she barely met, who purchased them like a pet from a herd. She used to feel intense sorrow at the fact that many of her sons and daughters will never see their mother again, but she gave birth to so many and was so desensitized by Kindred horrors that their names and faces have started to blur together. Nonetheless, a large part of her remaining humanity lives on in the hearts and souls of her progeny. She cherishes the children she knows, and it would be a dream come true to reunite with all of them. There is also a pit in her stomach where she knows she has let down her husband's memory with countless terrible acts. The regret sometimes aches at her when she is alone. Ideally, we all have a support network of friends or family, who will help support us when we need it - or at least be there to pick up the pieces. Who did you expect to be there for you that wasn't? Who let you down when you needed them most? What impact did that have on you? *When Colonel Byron took her away, Sierra was absolutely certain her husband would somehow find a way to rescue her. But he never did. She heard he still lived, and that Luther actually suggested the idea of breeding her. At least, that's what Byron told her, but she always felt it couldn't have been true. Years later, she came to the conclusion that Luther must have been killed by Colonel Byron. That's the only answer she could live with. She simply does not want to consider any other possibility. Either way, this is just one more example of why it's best to bottle up any true emotions, even if it means living a lie. After living almost two centuries, she no longer knows how to feel sincere, only how to act the part. When you're falling, you'll grab hold of whatever lifeline you can find. What did you cling to in your dark time? Did you make a friend who was wrong in all the right ways? Join a cult or a gang? Take up smoking? Suffocate your troubles with food? Describe the coping strategy you used. *When Sierra was locked up in a room for three years, she tried to find some means of sanity. The only significant thing that came to her was companionship with her lovers. She tried to convince them to tell her about the wide world outside her door. When she was lucky, she was even treated to a small lesson in some obscure skill, like juggling or keeping a poker face. Afterwards, when she became Yama's ghoul, she took solace in the fact that her regnant treated her like a favored pet. He gave her treats for doing as she was told, let her sleep next to him when she begged for intimacy, and felt exhilarated when she completed a task he set for her. When Yama was not around, she sought a small sliver of happiness in helping to grow his power over the local domain. She traded her own favors in return for favors an ally might give to Yama, and watched with joy as she assisted in furthering his burgeoning empire. Other times, she raised her children or taught her regnant's Childer how to perfect a Discipline. Occasionally, she tended to her zoo of exotic animals, who she had the astonishing proficiency in ghouling, despite only being a ghoul herself. The animals helped a great deal when other Kindred borrowed her for a variety of tasks. They also helped her kill disloyal Kindred when they wronged her beloved domitor. Someone, in a time of need - though it may be a different time of need than the one just described! - saw you were in trouble and helped you out. You owe them a debt that would be hard to repay, and if they ever called on you for assistance you'd do everything you could to help them. What happened? Who was this person? How did they help you? *Sarah Mathis most recently helped Sierra by providing her a place to stay and a refuge from the Rakshasa of northern India, who aimed to kill her regnant. For this, she is eternally grateful, and would do almost anything for her generous daughter. Back in India, however, she had a daughter named Tara, who distracted the Elder Rakshasa when Sierra fled with Yama in the first place. She did not personally see Tara killed, but Sierra would be shocked to see Tara still living. Tara was a mortal ghoul, like her mother, who was the full-blooded sister to Kumar, Yama's now deceased successor in India. If Tara somehow managed to make it out alive, Sierra would be very much in her debt. 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs' What is your hierarchy of needs? Physiological needs are likely to be different for vampires than they are for ghouls or humans, but the higher up the pyramid you go the more individuality there is likely to be. *At this point in time, Sierra is still getting settled in Kingsmouth and trying to become familiar with both the Kindred and mortal societies. She lives in the Marsh Mansion, which takes care of much of her physiological needs, and she is probably safe despite being in very foreign territory. For the moment, she is somewhere between Love/Belonging and Esteem. She has a daughter in Kingsmouth, and intends to soon begin accumulating power for her regnant's eventual awakening. Specify one solid need that currently drives your character. *Currently, Sierra needs to find her place in the local Kindred society, in addition to locating a job in the mortal sphere of the city. She also needs to feel assured her torpored regnant is safely protected. Want is different than need. What is your deepest want? This is likely (but not guaranteed) to be the same thing as your long-term Aspiration. It may work in harmony with your needs, it may work in direct opposition, or it may be entirely unrelated. Why are you striving for this? What does it mean to you? *Sierra wants power in the city of Kingsmouth, and perhaps even further in scale. She wants to return to the place of esteem she had in India among the Kindred, and she wants to have a hand in mortal affairs as well. For now, she is telling everyone that she wants this power so that Yama might awaken to a kingdom he can once again rule. However, a part of her wants this power for herself, no matter how much she loves her regnant so. Either way, Sierra wants this because it is a means to feel important and alive in her long life. Whether for love of her regnant or personal primal ambition, she craves the exhilarating high that power can provide. And perhaps, she wants the satisfaction of showing the Kindred that a mere ghoul has just as much potential and competence as any Kindred. What truly frightens your character is frequently (though again, not always) what stands in the way of them fulfilling their want or need. Everybody has fears and anxieties, even uber-powerful vampires. What do you fear? *Sierra fears Kindred, and their monstrous appetites for horrific misdeeds. She is fearful of meeting Colonel Byron Stafford again, and perhaps even more terrified by the idea of meeting Luther Ashford and what the reunion might mean. Finally, she is afraid that Yama will awaken, since it would mean all her personal ambition would be offered up to him instead. |-| Human= 'Family' Under what circumstances were you born? Were you a planned baby, a happy accident, or an unwelcome surprise? *Sierra was something between all three of those possibilities. She was born the seventh daughter to a large family of commoners, who could not afford to raise her. Accidents both happened and yet were expected at the time, but the family faced a number of challenges because she was born. Some of her much older sisters had to start working despite being so young, and her parents pushed themselves almost to the bone for extra wages. Most nights, her family went hungry or ate particularly poorly. Sometimes they were lucky to receive some charity, but such was not always the case in their suburban London home. Tell us about your mother. What was your relationship with her? *Sierra did not know her mother very well, since she was usually pretty busy working as a seamstress out in the city. Still, she probably got her toughness and will to survival from her absent mother. When she was home, she was usually too tired and often too grumpy to deal with her children, which is why Sierra was largely raised by her many sisters. Although, when her mother did relate to her children, she expected the best out of each of them, and there was always a hint of sincere love behind her tired, overworked eyes. One of Sierra's best memories of her mother was after arriving home from roughhousing with a bunch of boys. She was given a bath while her mother rambled on about how much trouble her daughter was. By the end, her mother fell into tears and apologized profusely to her in a desperate embrace, and Sierra hugged her back. Tell us about your father. What was your relationship with him? *Sierra's father also had difficulty relating to his daughters, but in an entirely different way. He was always warm and generous, but there was this look in his eyes like he had no clue what he was doing, or that he was strangely insincere. He was just as busy with his job as their mother, but he came home to welcome Sierra and her sisters with open arms. When she was very lucky, she sometimes got to eat expired pastries nobody else bought. She tried telling her father all about her day whenever she had something interesting to say, and he seemed to listen with the same distracted look as usual. Did you have any siblings or were you an only child? If you were an only child, how did that make you feel? If you had siblings, were you the youngest, oldest, middle child? Were you close to your siblings, or did you feel overlooked in the crowd? Did you feel responsible for taking care of them, or were you bullied? *Sierra had exactly six siblings, all girls. She was the youngest, while her oldest sister was nine years her senior. Being the baby of the family, her sisters cared immensely for her. Her eldest siblings took an active role in raising her, though she always wanted to escape them and go play outside in puddles and with boys. Nonetheless, they taught her almost everything she knew, from how to cook to how to think. Some of her sisters were very strict with her, while others just wanted to take her along with them on their own escapades. She enjoyed the latter most of all during the time, but found greater respect for the former as she grew up. She was never bullied, but she was always expected to do what she was told whether she liked it or not. Which is precisely why she fled to join street urchins in play. Who was the most influential presence in your life, growing up? What important lesson or philosophy did they teach you? *Her eldest sister, Charlotte, greatly influenced the way she was raised. Charlotte acted as her mother and father both, teaching her everything she knew and drilling discipline into her baby sister. She eventually went on to become a governess, despite her low status of birth. Charlotte taught her how not to break when things went awry, and to stand right back up after falling down. Sierra would not have been as ambitious nor as flexible to change her strategies towards success if it was not for her lessons. Who was your first love? What happened? How did that influence who you are and how you live your life? *Sierra's first true love was a cavalry officer named Luther Ashford, who she met after joining the Fishing Fleet towards India. She played hard to get for a while, but he could not be denied. After a spectacular proposal involving his regiment, she agreed to marry him. As was proper for a wife during the time, she remained at home to manage the household and await her husband's return. She had three children with him, a boy and two girls, and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. She learned what it meant to love another with all her heart and soul, which permanently marked a soft spot for family in her for the rest of her life. His commanding officer happened to be a Gangrel, whom eventually decided to Embrace him. For a time, she was confused about the changes he was going through without any explanation. After his Sire, Colonel Byron Stafford, suggested Luther ghoul her, she began to enjoy his company all over again. She shared in his discoveries of the Kindred Disciplines and joined him in his ambitions among the Danse Macabre. Byron found out Luther's wife was born under auspicious circumstances for creating a thrall bloodline. For that and the obvious love Luther gave his ghoul, Byron stole Sierra away and she never saw him since. Who is the most important person currently in your life? Tell us about them. *Sierra's Regnant, Yama al-Malik, is the person she most adores. She would do anything and everything for him, and has already done enough to desensitize her to many terrible acts. She first met him when he stole her away from Byron Stafford, during what amounted to an 'auction' of her womb. While he still uses her for the same rare function she was born with, he treats her like a favored pet. Over the many years she had spent with him, he has come to regard her more highly than any neonate Kindred, and even defaults to viewing her of greater value than most ancillae. He acts as if she was his Childe, since she has given birth to every single one of his most recently Embraced Childer and all of his ghouls. While it might seem improper to give a mere ghoul so much worth, Yama has always taken social doctrines and Traditions as mere guidelines for greater social success. He is a highly demanding Kindred that places extreme importance in the feudal hierarchy that the Danse Macabre tends to incorporate, but treats loyalty and respect in kind. Others are punished with death only in excessive circumstances, since he would rather find a way to leverage even an offensive tool to his personal benefit. Like most Rakshasa, he is Unaligned to any specific Covenant. However, were he to ever join one, which he believes would weaken his position with the others, he would most naturally choose the Invictus.